Preview: Everything you need to know about Stage 15 of 2016 Tour de France
The riders were exhausted when they reached the finish atop the hors categorie climb. Photo: Cor Vos
Stage 15, 2016 Tour de France
Date: Sunday, July 17
Start: Bourg-en-Bresse
Finish: Culoz
Distance:160km (99.5mi)
Elevation Gain: 4080m (13385ft)
GC standings:
Tour de France (2.UWT) Montélimar → Villars-les-Dombes Parc des Oiseaux
Comment from race director, Christian Prudhomme: “Cyclists in the area are used to climbing the Grand Colombier, a fearsome — and feared — mountain pass in the Jura Massif from its four sides. The Tour peloton will face a similar challenge when it tackles the summit from two different sides in the same stage. A tricky descent awaits before the finish in Culoz.”
Chris Froome (Team Sky): “Tomorrow has been underestimated, it could be a stage that does creep up on people if they are not ready. There is over 4000m of climbing, and a critical descent. It’s a big day. It’s not a summit finish, but we could see big moves from the GC teams. I know most of the roads there, it’s going to be a tough stage, that’s for sure.”
Richie Porte (BMC Racing): “It’s nice to get back into the mountains tomorrow and we’ll just see what happens. It’s a very hard stage so we’ll see how everyone is after today.”
Thomas De Gendt (Lotto-Soudal): “I didn’t do much today because I expect Rafal Majka to challenge me for the polka-dot jersey tomorrow. I took it easy. It was a long but easy day.”
Matt White (Orica-BikeExchange Director Sportif): “Tomorrow is going to be relentless all day long and it was important to try and conserve as much energy as possible today. There are four big tests coming up in the mountains and tomorrow is the first, this is as tough as it gets. The first climb comes straight out of the neutral zone and the racing will start immediately.”
